1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to lawn and garden care, and more particularly to apparatus for controlling the locations of selected lawn and garden plants and materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that power and hand lawn mowing equipment can cut the grass to within only a few inches of buildings, fences, and other above grade objects. The grass adjacent those objects must then be trimmed with another tool, whether hand or power. Such trimming is a tedious and tiresome chore, especially if manual clippers are used.
Various equipment has been designed to eliminate lawn trimming. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,989 shows an edging strip manufactured as a plastic channel in combination with narrow L-shaped metal brackets for supporting the channel. The plastic channel and metal brackets are attached to each other by means of interfitting protuberances and recesses. It is evident that the multi-component construction of U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,989 renders it undesirably expensive. Further, it is cumbersome and time consuming to assemble the brackets and channels prior to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,769 discloses an edging strip having a vertical panel with two horizontal lips and a crowned cap. The cap and lips are subject to breakage as lawn mowers pass repeatedly over and bend the cap and force the vertical panel deeper into the ground.
Edging in the form of lengths of flat plastic strips having a semi-circular bead along one edge, in combination with metal anchoring stakes, is also known. Such edging is unsatisfactory, however, because it is expensive, and because it tends to heave easily due to frost. Consequently, the edging must be relaid each spring; otherwise the gardner risks striking the uplifted edging with his lawn mower.
An additional disadvantage of prior edging strips is that they are limited to retaining and separating dirt, gravel, and plants lying at or below ground level. Wood boards and railroad ties are sometimes used for making raised gardens and for separating above grade decorative materials, but such boards and ties are bulky and unsightly. In addition, the boards and ties require separate edging strips to eliminate lawn trimming alongside them.
Thus, a need exists for a product that is capable of simultaneously separating components below ground level, eliminating grass trimming adjacent an above-ground object, and retaining above ground materials within selected areas.